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Two Loveland residents share their stories through Lifetree Film Fest (videos)

Joel Green and Craig DeMartino are featured in films that will debut at the Lifetree Film Fest

By Jessica Benes Reporter-Herald Staff Writer

Posted:
04/12/2013 02:15:45 PM MDT

Send mini films to the Reporter-Herald

The Reporter-Herald is looking for original 3-minute or less films for our own mini film festival in conjunction with the Lifetree Film Festival and Earth Day. Films can be submitted in one of two categories: "Earth Day" or "General."

The films should not contain profane language, nudity or violence. Send videos to jbenes@reporter-herald.com, post them on YouTube and send us the link, or drop them off on a CD (as an .avi, .mov or mp4 file; not a DVD).

Submit your name, contact information and brief synopsis separately or with the video. Videos will be posted on our website as we get them. A panel of Reporter-Herald judges will evaluate the films on April 18 and the winners will be announced Friday morning online and in the paper. Call 669-5050 ext. 530 for details.

Prize: A winner in each category will be selected to receive one free all-weekend pass to the Lifetree Film Festival, a $35 value.

Lifetree films are about people, life and stories that inspire.

Joel Green likes to giggle and laugh and dance in the living room. He is four years old, says only a few words with his voice andsign language, and has just learned to walk again.

Craig DeMartino is a climber. He suffered a fall in 2002 and had one leg amputated. It took time to recover and work up the courage to get back out there. He and two friends did an all-disabled climb in 2012 to the top of El Capitan -- 1,800 feet -- in Yosemite National Park.

"Gimp Monkeys," about three disabled climbers, will help kick off the Lifetree Film Fest on Friday. "Meet Joel -- My Last Days," will be presented Saturday.

Joel's Days

Joel, now four years old, was diagnosed with an Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor at age one. A film crew with the website "Soul Pancake" spent two days with Joel and his family in November to record their story.

Joel's mother, Amy, said that she follows Rainn Wilson on Twitter because he's funny. Wilson played Dwight Schrute on the television show, "The Office" and works with Soul Pancake.

"He sent out a tweet looking for people that had been given a limited amount of time left to live. He wanted to share their stories," she said.

Green emailed Wilson. She wasn't sure Joel's story counted because he had been diagnosed as terminal two years ago but he kept getting better. Plus, he couldn't tell his story himself.

About four months after she sent the email, a producer called.

A film crew came to Loveland in November 2012 and recorded Joel, his parents and three brothers as they went to another of Joel's many MRI appointments at Children's Hospital in Aurora.

His scans had been clean for six months but his tumors always seemed to appear around October or November. Sure enough, the MRI showed a large tumor on his spine.

"The significant thing about these filmmakers was that they really want to make a difference in the world," said Joel's father, Ryan. "We liked that their whole intention in coming out was not just to get good stories or do something sensational. It was really because they valued people and spending time with people."

Amy feels that the crew was able to present this part of life and how the family approaches Joel's disease to the world.

"It was like they gave a gift to us. It made the whole experience very meaningful because we knew other people would get to see it," she said.

While the doctors said that this seventh tumor indicated a new stage in Joel's disease, the tumor was eradicated with radiation. Joel has another, smaller tumor, but his parents are encouraged that so far, treatments are working.

Info: The film fest will start off with screenings of "Chasing Ice" and "Gimp Monkeys" on Friday. Events will continue with workshops and Saturday film viewings. The screening of "Chasing Ice" will be followed by a chat at Aleworks with Craig DeMartino on Friday night. Festival ticketholders will receive one free beer during the after party at Aleworks, 118 W. Fourth St.

Amy and Ryan wrote a children's book, "He's Not Dead Yet," to share feelings about Joel's disease from the perspective of an older brother. Ryan is also developing a computer game to interactively share the family's struggles.

The family is excited to bring Joel on stage after the film premiers on Saturday.

Gimp Monkeys

Craig DeMartino was terrified to climb again. He spent a year making short climbs, deciding he would never do it again, and then going back up.

Eventually, he overcame that fear.

He met Jarem Frye and Pete Davis at a speed climbing competition for disabled climbers in Florida about six years ago.

Frye lost his left leg at age 14 to bone cancer and Davis was born without an arm.

The three started talking about doing an all-disabled climb up El Capitan. DeMartino knew director Fitz Cahall because they had worked on another film project together. Cahall brought along a climbing team and climbed ahead of DeMartino's group to record their journey in 2012.

Joel Green, 4, center, dances with his dad, Ryan Green, as his mom, Amy Green watches while his bothers play in the background at their Loveland home on Thursday. From top his brothers are Isaac, 5, Elijah, 2, and Caleb, 7. Joel is going through treatment for cancerous tumors. He recently started dancing, which is a developmental milestone. Joel's family consider him to be a miracle because he has overcome seven tumors.
(
Jenny Sparks
)

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